Controlling device.



N. (LDURAND.

CONTROLLING DEVIGE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 16. I910.

Patented May 28, 1912.

UNITED sTAr s PATENT OFFICE.

NELSON c. DURAND, 0E NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS,TO THOMAS A. EDISON, INCORPORATED, or WESIOBANGE, NEWJEBSEY, A 003-PORATION OF- NEW JERSEY.

CONTROLLING nEvIcE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 28,1912.

Application filed July 16, 1910. Serial No. 572,290.

- State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements1n Controlling Devices, of which the following is a description.

My lnvent-ion relates to devices for controlling the starting andstopping of mechanism, particularly phonographs.

In the operation of phonographs used for dictation purposes, it isnecessary to start and stop the machine a great many times. For thispurpose, pneumatic and other controlling devices intended to be operatedby the foot of the transcriber or operator have been provided. Such adevice is described and illustrated in the application of CharlesSchifii entitled Controlling devices, Serial No. 572,796, filed July 30,1910, in which relative movement of a plunger and cylinder forcompressing and rarefying the air to operate the starting and stoppingmechanism of the phonograph is caused by the movement of a pivoted coveror foot piece, which is depressed by the foot of the oper ator.

' I have found, however, that in practice the pneumatic device is apt toget turned upon the floor, or its correct position is not noted by theperson using the phonograph, so that the foot is likely to be pressedupon the cover directly over the pivoted point of the same, or over oneside, so that the leverage is less than if the foot were positioned onthe side opposite to the pivot. Accordingly, I propose to remedy thisdifficulty by constructing a foot support secured to the base of acontrolling device of the general character mentioned above,so that thefoot of the operator may be always placed in a correct posit-ion tooperate the pneumatic and so that, also, the heel of the opdevice,

be ralsed 1f desired nto a more erator may comfortable position foroperating the device. The objects of myinvention are the provision ofmeans of the character described,

This cover or foot-operated member. in the construction described in thesaid apand also the construction of parts and combinations of elementsdesirable in the same, as hereinafter pointed out and claimed.

In order that a clearer understanding of my invention may be had,attention is hereby directed to the accompanying drawings, forming partof this specification, and in which- Figure 1 represents my device inside elevation, and Fig. 2 represents a plan view of the same.

Referring to the drawings, the controlling device may be of any suitablecharacter having an operating memberpivoted to one side. I haveillustrated a device of the character described in the said applicationof Schifii, in which the base 1 is adapted to rest upon the floorand'has a bracket 2 rising from one edge of the same, the cover orfoot-operated member 3 being pivoted thereto at 4. By the movement ofmember 3 caused by pressure thereupon of the foot 5 of the operator, airis forced into or is withdrawn from tube 6 which may be connected to acylinder mounted upon a phonograph or other mechanism to be controlled.Member 7 is adapted to rest upon the fioorand is shapedto fit the heelof the operator, as

shown. Heel piece? which may be raised any desired distance above thefloor and which may be provided with a curved flange 8 to fit theoperators heel, is secured to the base 1 of the pneumatic device bymeans of a connecting member 9 which may be secured to base 1 of thecontrolling device as by screws 10. Connecting member 9 may be rigidlysecured to heel piece 7 but I find it advisable to provide means'foradjusting the distance between the heel piece and the pneumatic devicein order that the feet of different persons may be comfortably adjustedwith respect to the pneumatic device. This may be accomplished by anysuitable means, as the screw 11 which passes through $1013 12 in member9, and screws into extension 13 of heel piece 7, the end of member 9being adapted to move under the heel piece 7 into any desired position,in which it is secured by tightening screw 11.

Having now described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent is as follows 2- 1. In a controlling device, thecombination of a stationary member, a movable member pivoted thereto atone side thereof, and a foot-positioning device secured to saidstationary member on the opposite side thereof from the pivot of saidmovable mem ber, substantially as described.

2. In a controlling device, the combination of a stationary base, amember pivoted thereto at one side thereof and adapted to be oscillatedabout its pivot by foot pressure, and a heel-support secured to saidbase on the opposite side thereof from the pivot of said member,substantially as described.

3. In a controlling device, the combination of a stationary base, amember pivoted thereto at one side thereof and adapted to be oscillatedabout its pivot by foot pressure, a heel-support, means connecting thesame to said base on the opposite side thereof from the pivot of saidmember, the said means being adjustable for varying the distance fromsaid base at which said support is positioned, substantially asdescribed.

4:. In a controlling device, the combinatlon of a stationary base, amember pivoted thereto at one side thereof and adapted to be moved aboutits pivot by foot pressure, and a heel support secured to said base infixed relation thereto and on the side thereof opposite to said pivot,substantially as described.

5. In a controlling device, the combination of a stationary base, amember pivoted thereto at one side thereof and adapted to be moved aboutits pivot by foo-t pressure, a stationary heel support, and means for adjustably connecting said support to said base on the side of said baseopposite to the said pivot, substantially as described.

This specification signed and witnessed this 13th day of July 1910.

NELSON C. DURAND. Witnesses:

DYER SMITH, FRANK D. LEWIS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, byaddressing? the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, .D. G.

